Growing Shadows
by Aquachubolt2
Summary: Since the defeat of Grima, Ylisse, and the world, have been at peace. But a new threat, perhaps even greater than that of Grima, awaits it. And with most of the Shepards having moved on, there are few who can rise to stand against it. Chrom faces this head on, but with his chief tactician missing, shifting loyalties, and a mysterious new ally, is this a fight Chrom can win?
1. Chapter 1 (Nothing Better to Call It)

**Welcome to my first story (sort of), Growing Shadows. I hope you enjoy what I have to offer. I am very open to criticism, as long as it is constructive. Posting things like ****_"You suck" _****and ****_"Go die in a tar pit" _****won't make my writing any better. And a note on a problem I have: I tend to plan out the beginning and end of a story, and completely skip planning the middle during the brainstorm. Any tips at all are appreciated. On a side note for future reference, the Avatar's name is Rob and his description is:**

**_Build:1_**

**_Face:2_**

**_Hair:5_**

**_Color:13_**

**_Voice:1_**

**With that out of the way lets move on to the story.**

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Time moves on, but feelings don't. And for six months, Chrom has felt the same way. Felt like he needed to find him. For six months, he had sent search parties out. Worn the patrols out with the never ending task of finding him. But, for all the time spent searching, all the worry, and the doubt, and the anger, the outcome was the same. Rob could not be found.

Sitting at his desk, the king of Ylisse mindlessly sifted through his papers, signing that bill, replying to that letter, reading that report. So was the task of being a leader. To be honest, this was how Chrom always went a bout his work. He would much rather be doing something physical, than be cooped up in his office, doing paperwork. But, unfortunately his position left him with little choice. A country didn't run itself.

And so it was a surprise when he heard a knocking on the door, a rare sight since the king preferred not to be given more dreary news while doing all his mundane paperwork.

Nevertheless, he answered with a simple "Come in," before turning back to the ever growing pile of text on the table.

It surprised him that the one at the door was the old knight commander, Frederick, who had been terribly wounded at the start of the Valmese crisis. Although he couldn't fight any longer, he still instructed new troops, and Chrom had kept him around as an advisor.

"Milord," said the retired knight, formally addressing Chrom as always. "One of Cordelia's patrols has brought back dire news."

Chrom, who had, up until that moment been more or less focused on the plea to get some bridge built that he was reading, immediately jumped turned his attention to Frederick waiting for more news.

"It seems as though there is trouble at a very important religious sanctuary a short way to the north. Cordelia says the patrol saw thirteen cloaked soldiers launching an attack at the temple."

"Can the guards stationed at the sanctuary not defend it against only thirteen opponents?" asked the blue haired king. "I know for a fact that the temples have armed guards in case of bandits."

Frederick's expression remained dour. "I fear not milord. If the patrol is to be believed, these are not any bandits, but trained warriors with skill beyond what a simple temple guard could manage."

Chrom didn't even think before giving the order. "Mobilize the shepards who remain. I want to be ready to get moving in thirty minutes." With that he leaped out of his chair and bounded out the door, barely even remembering to grab Falchion on the way out. "Oh, and Frederick one last thing."

"Yes milord?"

"Do me a favor and sort out those papers on my desk." And so Chrom left Frederick there, with the knight once again having to fix his lord's mess, albeit in a different way.

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**P.S.- Don't forget to review. It really helps more than you would think.**


	2. Chapter 2 (Lacking In Originality)

**Hi, it's me again. I would like to take this time to start a new segment called Lets Respond to Comments:**

**Shadowplayer360- I do indeed have something planned, but you might have to wait a bit to see it. And sorry if it's kind of slow, it's just the way I do things. **

**The first chapter got 164 views, and out of those, I got 2 REviews. Remember, I love reviews. In fact, I live and breath them. So kindly take a few minutes to tell me what you think and leave some tips for future writing. Now, on to the show.**

* * *

Commanding a military group such as the Pegasus Knights of Ylisse was no easy task, but she'd had little reason to refuse when her king had offered her the job. She hadn't known it would be mostly paperwork. Boring paperwork that required her to stay cooped in her office all day long, hours wasted where she could be doing something constructive.

It had been so peaceful after the war in fact, the job had essentially become a secretary for the Pegasus Knights. Sure, there were some bandits here and there, but for the most part there were not many problems. So it had come as a shock to her when her most recent patrol came back saying there was a serious problem.

"Captain," rasped the lead of the group Cordelia had sent out, "I fear I have bad news. There has been an attack on a religious sanctuary to the North of here. Thirteen cloaked soldiers, all of whom are very advanced in combat."

"How dire is the situation?" asked Cordelia, who, despite having been lost in thought earlier, now had her attention focussed on the winded knight in front of her.

"Very, Captain. The smoke from the fires can be seen for miles around. The blaze is all consuming."

"I can see that you are tired from your rush here, but can you please fetch Commander Frederick? I do believe we have something to discuss."

* * *

And it hadn't been long before Cordelia was roaming the skies, being the lookout for the troops marching below, though not paying much attention to her current task. She was lost in thought, as she always was, remembering the time during the war, a time where, despite the circumstances, she had been truly happy.

Back then he had been around to give orders, commands, directions, support.

Back then he had inspired confidence in a way not even Chrom could. And back then, the fire never left his eyes, even when situations were bleak. But then, Grima had come. And Rob had given himself to ensure that monster never came back. What he had also done without even realizing it, was left her alone.

She remembered the time before the war with Valm, about a year prior. The time during spent in Northern Ferox, when Chrom had insisted on chasing after bandits to make sure the Shepards remained sharp, about a year after the war with Plegia. Cordelia had been on a cliff, outlooking the eastern sea border, the sky orange but tinged with purple. Rob had come to join her, and what had been her happiest night since her friends were slaughtered got even better.

But the Valmese crisis happened, and the plans they had for themselves had been delayed. Then Grima happened, and Rob was torn from her by himself, and he had since broken his promise. He hadn't come back.

* * *

So lost was Cordelia in her thoughts that she didn't notice the burning mess about a half mile ahead until fumes clouded her vision and filled her lungs, forcing her to descend. Once she flew below the cloud of smoke above her, the sight before her horrified her. Gone was the temple, one of the world's most beautiful churches. In it's place was a burning pile of ruble. And on the pile stood the cause. A cloaked man, staring them down.

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**Don't forget to review, it only makes the story better.**

** Peace, Aqua**


	3. Equalizer

**Hello, me again. Thank you to the 6 of you who reviewed. It means a lot to me that you took two seconds of your time to write a little something for me to read.**

**Gunlord500- Thanks for pointing out that error. Probably wouldn't have found it one my own.**

**Now that I've said that, on to the show.**

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"Chrom, welcome. Tell me, what do you think of the remodeling?" The cloaked man in front of him was certainly intimidating. Chrom feared no man, but the solider had this air of dread about him, and that air was penetrating the thick shell that Chrom had around his mind, putting him on edge.

"Who are you?" asked the blue haired king, expecting he would either get no answer or a direct one. The answer he did receive was quite different from either of those.

"We are soldiers. The warriors of the in between. My name matters not. What matters is that we have come to be the equalizers. That we are bringing balance to this world."

"What do you want?" asked a bewildered Chrom, confused about what the villain had said. "What do you mean by 'balance'? What are your motives?"

"We seek to usher in a new world. A world without gods. A world where a man's fate is decided by a his will. A world without rulers. A world without privileged emperors and corrupt politicians." He was in the air now, kept suspended by an updraft of his own making. "A world where everyone can decide their own destiny. A world of equals."

The draft suspending the solider had now become a storm, strong gales ripping pegasi from the air and sending ruble flying. Chrom had to fight against the whiplash just to keep standing. And in the center of it all was the cloaked solider, the winds he had created becoming a vortex. The smoke from the fire had fused with the winds, turning the vortex into a black funnel of ash.

Screaming to remain audible over his winds, the warrior said, "Ask yourself one question, Chrom. What do you believe in? Will you stand by that belief when resistance is impossible? Just how strong are your ideals? I intend to push your beliefs to their limits. To test their strength against my own. Only then can the true truth be reveled. And when it is, one reality will be shattered. So the true question is, is it mine, or yours?" And with that he disappeared, leaving only an explosion in his wake.

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Cordelia had felt pain before. During the war, she had almost died several times. She'd had bones broken, muscles shredded, and had her head smashed into rocks. However, nothing could prepare her for the pain she felt during that flash the soldier had set off. It burned more than any fire tome could. For the longest time there was only pain. Then relief. Only for the pain to return in full force after she'd healed. It went in a cycle like that.

There was a time where nothing was able to be felt. Then that was replaced by the screams of the people experiencing the same pain. Then she could see, but only an opaque layer of white. Then the soothing feeling came. The feeling only a healing staff gave you. And then there was only blackness.

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**Yeah... its been a while since I've even looked at this site. After the original version of this chapter went up back in June, I completely lost all interest in writing this, since by then I had lost my drive to play Fire Emblem, and playing the game is where my drive comes from. I'm gonna replay the game, maybe that will give me a reason to write again. I also took it upon myself to gloss over this story, add more details, flesh it out, and fix any errors or mistakes, such the repeat of a world, starting with this chapter. Also, I'll be leaving a quote of the chapter at the end of this. Hopefully I can finally do this without quitting. Also, I have learned a lesson: do not ask about movies here.**

**"It is as hot as snow outside!" - Aqua**


	4. Get up

_"You could've picked an easier place to get to, you know."_

_"If there's no challenge, then what's the point?," said Cordelia, who at that moment was sitting on a rock near the cave wall. "It would be too easy."_

_"Easy to what," asked the blue haired man, "To not fall in the ocean?"_

_"It can't be that bad."_

_"Says the one who rode a pegasus here." Rob strolled over the the back of the cave and took off his coat, rung it out, and drew a wooden practice sword from his belt. "Now, are you ready to begin?"_

_In response, Cordelia drew her own practice weapon, and readied herself. "Whenever you are."_

_"Remember, this technique requires balance. For many of your attempts, you are going to fall flat on your ass. Keep track of how you fail, and learn from it. You'll have to get up though, and quickly, as you'll be in trouble if you don't."_

_"Anything else before we begin?"_

_"Get up."_

_"Huh?"_

_"Get up."_

_"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean."_

_"You have to get up! Now! Quick!" said Rob. _

_"But what don you mean by-Oomph!" Cordelia's sentence was cut short as a strong gale forced her down. She went to look up at Rob, but he wasn't there. In his place was a man in a black coat._

_ He walked out of the cave, and in a low voice, he said, "Nothing lasts forever. Everything is gone eventually. Things, people, places, that we care about, lost to the flow of time. Unless you intend to lose those things," he said, his form morphing into something familiar,"I recommend you get up, and be quick about it." His form had shifted entirely now, and before Cordelia stood the Fell Dragon, his great mass blocking out any light. _

_"Get up." Cordelia started to back away. "Get up!" The beast was snarling now, its teeth the only thing white amongst a sea of black. Then it let lose a jet of red hot flame, swallowing the knight in its light. "_**_GET UP!_**_"_

Cordelia woke up breathing heavily, with her flesh on fire, and sweat on her brow. She tried to sit up to survey her surroundings, but found that her vision was blurred, and her muscles were subject to the same burning as her flesh. She tilted her head to look around, and saw a familiar face.

"I see your awake now," said the queen of Ylisse, the voice soothing to Cordelia's burning ears. I was worried you weren't going to wake up. How are you feeling?"

"I've been better. What happened?" asked Cordelia. "Where are we and how did I get here?"

"There was a big explosion at the church," said Sumia. "As for how you got here, the search patrol I sent out found you and the others lying in a crater where the church used to be. Dragged you all the way back to the palace. What happened there? Whatever it was, it certainly didn't end well."

Telling the story wasn't easy, as many of the details were quite hazy. But after a bit of guess work and pressing for details, Sumia was able to get a bit of an understanding of what had happened.

"So, essentially what happened is you got flipped off your ass by some bastard wearing a cape and prancing in the wind?"

"We're done talking here."

"Whatever you say. I'll go tell Lissa you're awake."

And with that, the Queen got up and walked away, leaving Cordelia alone with her thoughts.

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**Yeah... its been a while since I've even looked at this site. After the original version of this chapter went up back in June, I completely lost all interest in writing this, since by then I had lost my drive to play Fire Emblem, and playing the game is where my drive comes from. I'm gonna replay the game, maybe that will give me a reason to write again. I also took it upon myself to gloss over this story, add more details, flesh it out, and fix any errors or mistakes, such the repeat of a world, starting with this chapter. Also, I'll be leaving a quote of the chapter at the end of this. Hopefully I can finally do this without quitting. Also, I have learned a lesson: do not ask about movies here.**

**"It is as hot as snow outside!" - Aqua**


	5. Zero

It took a week, but Chrom was finally able to get back on his feet. Most people caught in the light blast were. And it just so happened he was again sitting in his office. Except this time he wasn't signing documents. He was trying to pull together information on these "soldiers", but his efforts were met with little to no success. He spent perhaps half the day looking trough all his assets and still came up with nothing of importance. So it it came to be he was pacing his room, frustration boiling in his veins, when a messenger appeared in his doorway.

"Milord, I bring news. The scouts report a man, in a village a short ways east, who claims to have insight into the matter of the attack of the church. He requested this letter be read only by you." Grabbing the letter, Chrom dismissed the Messenger, and sat

down to read it.

_Chrom,_

_I hear you are looking into matters related to the recent incidents involving men in black coats. As it happens, I am doing the same, and I have information that you would find most valuable. All I can say in this letter, for fear it will be intercepted, is that they are a much greater threat than would appear at first glance. If you wish to know more, meet me in the abandoned warehouse in the Southtown when the moon shines its light. I would ask you bring no more than a few trusted souls with you, as to not attract too much attention. There is a small hole in the town's wall where you can get in and out unnoticed, on the East side. Come, and I swear I will tell all I know._

_A friend_

Chrom thought about the contents of the letter. Either this was a valuable source of information on this new foe, or it was a trap of some kind. Perhaps laid by Bandits? After contemplating it for a while, Chrom decided to go. Assuming it turned out to be a fruitful endeavor, it wasn't something that could just be passed up. And if it was a trap, it probably wasn't anything Chrom couldn't handle.

* * *

Looking at the hole in the wall, Cordelia pondered if anyone would be able to fit through. Perhaps Chrom and her, but definitely not Frederick, with his bulky suit of armor. A bit of fact pointing and bickering later, he agreed to watch the horses. And Cordelia was through the hole.

Finding the warehouse was no trouble. There had been a map on the back of the letter, clearly drawn and accurate, with the location clearly marked in bright red ink. It was dark inside the building. The only illumination came from a large hole in the roof, from which moonlight streamed down onto a large table, upon which sat a large map of the continent. Also there were several diagrams, books, and three smaller but more detailed maps of Ylisse, Plegia, and Ferox. But there was no one at the table. No one in the room. At least, thats what Cordelia thought, until she turned around, and a man dropped from the ceiling. He was tall, and had sharp, angular eyes. All other details were hidden by a full suit of stained black leather armor and hood, with a cloth to cover his face. He walked forward to the table slowly, then turned to face her and the Prince before speaking.

"Well if it isn't Chrom and his beautiful knight captain. To be honest, I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up." His voice was deep, and he spoke with a certainty you only see in people who know what they're doing. "Now, since your here, I'm assuming that means you got my letter one way or another, so I'm going to cut the crap and skip straight to the point. I've done some snooping around, and found some interesting shit. These fanatics blowing up churches, they're calling themselves the Dawnbringers. The ones that handed you your ass at that sanctuary are the Thirteen. Call them what you will. They issue the orders." With this he paused for a moment, then said, "You getting all this? Anyway, the Thirteen all have a number, well, one through thirteen. Two to Thirteen are all equals. The only one above them is One. One is a man named Anorith. He has the final say in any and all matters." He picked up something off the table and tossed it to Chrom.

Cordelia, curious as to what it was, asked "What is that?"

"That," answered the man, " is a map of the known world. It is marked with twelve locations that I have learned to be Dawnbringer hot spots. That's all I know." He then made his way toward the exit.

"Wait," said Chrom "What's your name?"

"You can call me Zero," said the man. He then blended into the night.

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**Get ready to be astounded by the awesomeness of this chapters quote.**

**"Life is a lot like peanut butter. It'll get you into all sorts of sticky situations, but it sure does taste good." -Aqua**

**On a side note, don't forget to review. It helps more than you might think.**


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